Looking Back At The Packers' Win Over The Vikings

The one note of caution for the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks is believing that they have momentum going forward into next weekend. The Vikings were playing without an NFL quarterback and Deadspin has the GIFs to prove it. The Redskins showed what they can do when QB Robert Griffin III is healthy by scoring two touchdowns on their first two possessions, but he re-injured his knee on that second touchdown drive and then vanished for the rest of the game.

Football Outsiders seemed to be a little down on the Packers after their win because QB Joe Webb is beyond awful as a pocket passer and they coasted after building a 24-3 lead that was insurmountable against any offense led by Joe Webb.

Pro Football Focus was negative on both the teams' offensive lines and especially down on C Evan Dietrich-Smith. I think the Packers are well aware of Dietrich-Smith's limitations, PFF said "he was completely man-handled in the run game", and it's why they signed free agent C Jeff Saturday in the first place. When the Vikings knew that the Packers were going to run out the clock, Dietrich-Smith couldn't get a push at the point of attack. But when there aren't eight men in the box, he's better at moving down field and blocking linebackers, which is why I expect the Packers will stay with him over Saturday again next week.

PFF also noted that LB Erik Walden, while making a few big plays, also got beat a lot of the time. I praised Walden after the game for making big plays, and that's really the best that can be expected from him. He has to make the highlight reel when the opportunity presents itself. If he were able to hold up on every snap, then the Packers wouldn't have drafted LB Nick Perry, wouldn't rotate LB Dezman Moses with Walden, and Walden would have kept his starting job after last season. He's a limited player and the Packers got the best they could have hoped from him against the Vikings.